How to Get Allergy Eye Relief

Allergy eyes (also known as allergic conjunctivitis) can occur when you're exposed to an allergy trigger that causes your body to release histamines and other chemicals into your blood stream.

This can cause the blood vessels in your eyes to swell and can result in a host of eye symptoms. Seasonal allergens such as grass and pollen are often to blame, but indoor allergies from pet dander, dust mites, and mold can also cause eye allergies as well.

Minimize Exposure

The best way to seek allergy eye relief is to avoid the reaction in the first place:

Avoid medications, creams, or other personal beauty products that could be further irritating your sensitive eyes

Treat Your Symptoms

Of course many allergy eye triggers are difficult to completely avoid, so you may also need to seek allergy eye relief in the form of the different treatment options available both over-the-counter and in prescription strength. Review the following choices you can try:

Artificial tears can relieve dry eyes and can be soothing, too. They can also help to wash allergens out of the eye area.

Eye drops that contain an antihistamine and decongestant can help to reduce some of the redness, irritation, and itching that allergies can cause. (Just ask the pharmacist before using these long term since extended use can actually cause symptoms to get worse.)

Eye drops that contain mast cell stabilizers can head off an allergic reaction before it begins.

Your doctor can also prescribe an eye drop that contains a combination of mast cell stabilizers and antihistamines. This can prevent a new reaction and at the same time treat any symptoms that already exist.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory eye drops (also referred to as NSAIDS) can be used to treat severe itching. Corticosteroids can reduce itching too, along with redness and swelling, but they may have side effects. So take them with caution and not for too long.

Oral antihistamines can also reduce some of the symptoms. (Just keep in mind that they can also cause your eyes to become drier, so this can end up backfiring and may actually make your symptoms worse so use with great care.)

A Final Note

If none of these options offer enough of the allergy eye relief you seek, consider getting allergy shots to minimize allergic reaction to your triggers. Allergy shots can help reduce your allergy eye symptoms over time.

The material on the QualityHealth Web site is for informational purposes only, and is not a
substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment provided by a physician or other
qualified health provider.